Car dealer linked to Identità racket charged with breaching court freezing order
Bernard Attard is facing fraud and money laundering charges
A man who is facing criminal charges in connection with the Identità racket as well as other fraud and money laundering charges has pleaded not guilty after he was charged with breaching a freezing order imposed on him by a court in December 2021.
Car dealer Bernard Attard, 33, of Żebbuġ was back in court on Thursday afternoon, this time accused of breaching a freezing order imposed on him on December 2, 2021, when he was arraigned and charged with misappropriation, fraud and money laundering. The case is still ongoing and he denies the charges.
On Thursday, he was also accused of breaching a set of bail conditions imposed on him on February 2, 2022.
Attard is also facing separate criminal charges in connection with residence permits that were fraudulently issued to third country nationals.
Police inspector Matthew Grech told the court that when Immigration Police arrested him in July 2024, they found a contract which was relevant to the investigators. Attard was already facing criminal proceedings in a money laundering case.
The contract he had allegedly entered into was in breach of the freezing order imposed on him in 2021.
Attard, who is currently in preventive custody after having lost his bail in the identity racket proceedings, was arrested and questioned in connection with the contract.
The prosecution and the defence approached the bench to discuss the case out of earshot.
There was no request for bail at this stage.
Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace presided over the court.
Police inspector Matthew Grech prosecuted.
Lawyers José Herrera and Martina Herrera appeared for Attard.